


A Re-education

by Elsian



Series: My Heart Fly To Your Service [2]
Category: Henry IV Part 1 - Shakespeare, Snow White and the Huntsman (2012), The Hollow Crown (2012)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 04:17:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4376927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elsian/pseuds/Elsian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hal doesn't learn</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Re-education

“Hello Huntsman. I have come to plague you as promised.” 

Eric closed his eyes in exasperation as the voice murmured low to his ear, feeling the Prince's body pressed flush against his back, in a manner than was both incredibly uncomfortable and unbearably enticing. Supposing he should be thankful that he'd at least a week of peace, he put his ale down upon the counter top at which he sat, looking to the side to see Prince Hal's face a few scant inches from his own. He glanced around, concerned for their proximity, although none in the unusually quiet tavern seemed to be paying them any attention. Still he shrugged Hal off though, who looked rather put-out as he took one of the many empty barstools that surrounded the Huntsman.

“How is it I have come to be graced with your presence once more, Your Royal Highness?” Erik mumbled into his cup, not caring for manners with the arrogant young sod. He had never had any time for protocol with the wayward prince beforehand, and they knew each other far too intimately now for him to give any form of consideration to the younger man.

“I promised to plague you, dear Huntsman and I never break a vow.” Hal grinned at him, cheeks blushed from where the Prince had obviously been drinking previous to entering his usual haunt. “I would also have to admit that you stirred my curiosity. Would you believe that not a single citizen knows of your name? Isn't that such a curious thing? Even when I tried describing you, I could only ever ascertain that you were 'The Huntsman.' Tell me my friend, do you even truly exist?” 

Eric scowled at Hal's mocking lilt. “I am as real as you or any other in this place. My business is simply mine own, and if I wanted you to have my name, you would have long had it.”

“You truly are not fearful of me at all are you?” Hal asked inquisitively, seemingly perplexed by Eric's attitude.

“You have yet to give me reason to be, my Prince.” Eric lowered his voice. “Besides, it was not so long ago that you were quite happy to be beneath me. It is very difficult to be fearful of a man who is so very willing to spread his legs.” 

“You might find that they spread less easily if you continue to talk to me in such a manner Huntsman.” Hal leant back, moving out of Eric's personal space, clearly offended. Eric just made a noise of dismissal, turning back to his ale, which he currently had far more of an invested interest in that his conversation with the Prince.

“I could have your head you know.” Hal threatened. “All I have to do is say the word and you would be upon the block come sunrise.” The young man sneered at him, clearly unused to being denied in anything. For all that he was easy on the eyes, he was terribly grating to the ears and Eric found the young man very tiresome indeed.

“Do as you will, my life is worth very little to anybody that you could think to mention. However I sincerely doubt that his Majesty would allow you to kill his subjects on an idle whim. He might be interested in how his eldest son and heir would whore out his royal corpus to any who might happen to take an interest. A noble reputation if there ever was one.” Eric said his piece without giving Hal a single glance, uninterested in the boy's reaction, only wishing to say his piece and be done with it. With any luck the young man would leave him be and Eric could continue to work his way steadily through the tavern's copious stock. 

“There are many rumours that fly about me Huntsman, and not even I know what is false and what is not some of the time. Your tales would be yet another lost in the mill of idle conversation, you are no threat to me. Were I to tell of your offences against my person however, it might be an entirely different story. You did cause me bodily harm and it is a grave offence to strike royalty.”. Hal hissed, his drunkenness lending to increase his ire. Eric simply smirked at him.

“Oh did I now? I fail to see any trace of an altercation upon that pretty little face of yours, and yet that was where I struck you did I not?” He pushed lightly at Hal's shoulder, causing the Prince to come off of his stool and stand waveringly on the floor besides the Huntsman. “Be gone with you wretch, back to your merry friends and plague me no more.” 

Hal remained besides him for a few moments longer, his inebriated mind taking a little while to catch up with what had passed. Eric certainly hoped that the fool would not think to take to him with his fists in a drunken rage, for that was certain to end badly for neither one of them. The Prince would unlikely enjoy his sudden impact with the floor, and it was far too early in the evening for Eric to be forcibly ejected from the tavern yet.

Finally the young man huffed loudly and veritably stomped his way over to his unusually sombre band of rogues and misfits, much in the manner of a petulant child. It was telling that not long after Hal had reunited with his companions that the raucous behaviour and excessive drinking commenced and Eric half wondered if any man was truly himself when he was in the presence of the Prince. 

He drank slowly, making his current tankard last him some time, until he was entirely certain that Hal was completely absorbed in his own activities. Downing the dregs of his ale, he slipped quietly from the bar and left the tavern. The hour was not gone ten, and he was reluctant to leave the drinking hole that he was so accustomed to over some whelp, but it would not do to have the Prince becoming preoccupied with his person. He meandered down the dark, quiet streets, in no hurry to get home to his cold bed and decreasing personal stock.

There was a loud crash as someone tripped over something or another behind him, and Eric sighed, pausing in his footsteps.

“Why must you torment me so?” He turned around to see the Crown Prince sat in the middle of the otherwise empty street, a bucket that must have been the source of his accident on its side near his feet. Hal pushed himself up, wiping the mud on his palms upon his breeches.

“I torment you so Huntsman? It was you who followed me on our last meeting, were it not? Perhaps I am simply returning the favour.” Hal grinned at him cheekily, their earlier quarrel evidently long forgotten in the deluge of alcohol that followed. 

Despite his irritation, Eric had to laugh at the Prince's words. “Return the favour little Prince? We are of equal height to be sure, but I certainly doubt you could bear me to the ground in combat.” 

“Perhaps there is more to me than you would care to think Huntsman.” Hal replied, suddenly sounding far too sober for Eric's liking. He turned away, ignoring the prince and continuing the walk to his home at the far edge of the city. He knew it was too much to hope that Hal might let him be though, and soon the patter of feet against mud brought the curly-haired nuisance to his side. However, to his surprise the other simply walked in silence besides him, right until they came to entrance of the Huntsman’s modest home. 

“This is where you would take your leave, Your Royal Highness.” Eric mumbled, fumbling with the large key that would allow him into his home. He turned to find Hal observing him quietly, face unusually sallow in the dim moonlight.

“You truly do not care what I would think of you, do you Huntsman?” Hal questioned softly, stepping well into what Eric would consider his personal space. He took a half-step backwards, meaning the Prince was still too close for comfort, but it was at least a small concession.

“I fail to see why I should.” he replied “You lower yourself to our taverns, our playing grounds, our wenches. Why should you not be subject to our standards as well? Were you any other man, those in the tavern would want little to do with you I should imagine, you are well below many of their years. They simply hope to endear themselves to you in the vague chance you might remember them when you claim the crown. A thing that I doubt shall come to pass, but I suppose it makes them feel better to try.” Erik knew he was being harsh, but the young man was to be Sovereign of the state in his future, and no-one takes kindly to a fool with a crown.

“Our liaison was nothing but a tryst borne of anger and frustration then.” Hal said quietly, his expression subdued and quite unlike anything the Huntsman had seen upon him before. It was somewhat unnerving. “You truly do despise me.”

“You are a pestilence, a thorn within my side and quite the unbearable wretch.” Eric replied, stepping forward against his better judgement to loom over Hal with the little height advantage that he had. 

“Then why is it that you allow me to do this?” Hal murmured, before barely leaning forward to allow their lips to touch in a chaste kiss, nothing like their biting, bruising relations of their previous encounter, and yet somehow infinitely more intimate than any other act they had yet committed. Erik reacted without thought, instinct taking control as he pushed the Prince's body against the wooden door of his home. He rested his forehead against Hal's when he pulled away, looking into the unfathomably blue eyes that were still visible even in the dim light.

“I do not rightly know.” He eventually replied, voice so low that Hal only barely heard the Huntsman speak even with their close proximity. He turned the key in it's lock, pushing Hal back within his home and closing the door in order to press the Prince back against the door, not caring that the interior of his home was almost pitch black, the only light provided by what little the moon shone through the small lone window. Hal pushed his lips against the Huntsman's once more, letting his arms drift up and around the larger man's shoulders.

“Less than a quarter hour ago you could not be rid of me soon enough. You lack conviction friend.” He smirked against Eric's lips, causing the other man to growl and press the other man more firmly against the door, hands gripping Hal's hips so hard he was sure to have bruises of fingerprints the next morning.

“You are frustratingly arrogant as ever.” He snarled, biting at Hal's lip. Hal groaned, and began to pull at the fastenings of Eric's tunic, insistently pushing at the same time in an attempt to move the other man over to his small single bed. 

“You doth protest to much, methinks.” Hal chuckled, removing first the huntsman's tunic and then his own jacket and shirt so that they were both left bare from the waist up, tripping over the unfamiliar floor as he hastened Eric over to the barely distinguishable bed, pushing him down against the thinning down. He straddled the older man,leaning down to kiss him as he unlaced the man's britches. 

“This is going to be the second time that we have known each other intimately” Hal murmured against the Huntsman's lips. “And I have yet to learn your name. What does that say about us I wonder?” He slipped his hand into the Huntsman's opened trousers, gripping him firmly and smirking when the other man hissed in pleasure.

“I think it says a whole lot more about you than it does me.” Eric replied, catching at the Prince's own breeches and dragging them down until they caught upon his boots, at which they parted briefly in order to completely unclothe themselves. Hal settled back atop of the Huntsman, both men hissing as their erections came together. The Prince sat up straight, moonlight streaked across his pale chest and eyes narrowed coyly at Eric. The young man had a mouth on him, but it could not be denied that he was incredibly enticing. Hal shifted himself until his mouth was poised just above Eric's member, close enough that he could feel the others breath, but not touching. It was disgusting teasing and from the way that the Prince looked up at him from under his lashes, eyes glittering in the darkness, he knew exactly what he was doing. 

“It is not polite to keep a man waiting.” he growled. “A prince should know better.” 

“Tell me your name.” Hal replied, breath hot against Eric. He held him lightly in his hand, but nothing further. Eric was not in any kind of mood for games though. He moved a hand to grip Hal's hair tightly, pushing his head ever so slightly down. Hal did not fight him.

“You should really put that mouth to better use. I like you better when you do not speak.” Eric glared at the young man, who huffed in amusement before taking the Huntsman into his mouth entirely, drawing back to hold the head for a moment in his mouth before moving once more, hollowing his cheeks. Eric groaned, throwing his head back against his limp pillow, hand still gripping at the Prince's blonde curls.

He could feel the telling signs all too soon, and pulled the Prince away from his body a little too harshly, causing the man to splutter for moment before he drew Hal up and twisted them around, covering the lithe body with his own. Hal reached up suddenly, tracing the Huntsman's features with elegant fingers, far too reminiscent of another long dead and Eric snatched Hal's hands away, holding them down to the bed by the man's wrists. 

“Why will you not give me what I want Huntsman?” he asked. The light shone across his face, making him look ethereal, innocent and Eric dropped his head to the others shoulder to avoid the sight, for they were two things that the Prince certainly was not. He traced the others ear softly with his lips, bringing his mouth close so that the Prince would be able to hear him, bringing his fingers up to the Hal's mouth, which he took in far too eagerly. 

“Because I do not give you what you want My Prince.” He whispered, removing his hand from Hal's mouth and moving between his legs to prepare him. Hal gasped as the first finger breached his body, but otherwise remained silent. “You get far too much of what it is that you want, and too little of what it is that you actually need.” Hal gasped as Eric curled a finger inside him, gripping at the Huntsman shoulder tightly, nails leaving little white crescents in the others skin. “Which, apparently, is a good hard fuck.” 

With that, Eric flipped the Prince over onto his stomach, pulling him to his knees and entering his body in one swift stroke. Hal moaned and pressed back into the Huntsman wantonly, though Eric gripped his hips tightly to still him whilst he regained himself. He leant over the others back, kissing his shoulder before biting down in the same place. Hal hissed beneath him, but Eric just moved a hand up to cover the Princes, fingers slipping in between his own. He rocked his hips slowly, resting his forehead against Hal's warm skin.

“Forgive me if I'm mistaken.” Hal panted out beneath him. “ But believe you said something about a 'good hard fuck'.” Eric could practically hear the smirk.  
“So I did.” He replied smugly, before pulling completely out of the Prince only to thrust back in strongly, hitting that spot within Hal's body that caused him to cry out in ecstasy. He moved in and out of the other man at a heightened pace, so much so that he was slightly concerned for the old bed beneath them, it having never been under such duress. 

All too soon though Eric found himself close to completion, and from the small strained noises that Hal was making beneath him, he was not so far behind. Eric pressed another kiss to the man's back, wrapping his hand around the others arousal, but not moving to relieve him.

“Please. Please.” Hal begged, trying to move to grip himself, but Eric slapped his hand away, finally deigning to move his own hand slowly up and down in a great contrast to the pace in which he was pounding into the others body. 

“I want to call it out when you come.” He said, lips moving against the others skin. He moaned as Hal clenched around him,knowing he would not last very much longer. 

“What?” Hal stammered out, barely coherent.

“Eric. My name is Eric and I want you to say it.” Eric moved his hand faster as he came into Hal with a cry, squeezing tightly with the hand that still held the Princes down on the bed. 

“God, Eric!” 

The Prince arrived not long after Eric had emptied himself, crying out the Huntsman's name and falling forward to lean on his forearms, legs trembling. He fell to the bed as soon as Eric pulled away, body covered with a sheen of sweat that shone in the moonlight that still fell through the window. Eric lay down beside him, somewhat uncomfortable on the tiny bed, but satiated and content. He let his fingers trace Hal's skin lightly, a luxury that had not been afforded in their last bedding. Hal made a pitiful noise and turned his head to face the other man.

“That was a unnecessarily convoluted way in which to learn your name, Eric.” He mumbled.

“Would you have it any other way?” Eric asked. Hal did not give him an answer and Eric turned to see that the young man had fallen fast asleep.

It was a risky thing, to allow the Prince to sleep in his bed, but Eric could not bring himself to wake the other man, instead pulling his rough sheet over their cooling bodies. Against all his preconceptions, the irritating young man had somehow managed to endear himself to the Huntsman, something he suspected was not going to end well for either one of them. He resolved to avoid the tavern from then on, and to ignore Hal were he ever to approach him again. 

However, if he happened to place his arm over the sleeping man and tuck him into his body, resting his head against the Prince's soft curls, well, that was his business.


End file.
